Wednesday, June 30, 2010

"Keti Koti" - Commemoration of the abolition of slavery in Amsterdam on July 1st

“Kinderen uit de Maasstad”: Surinamese children celebrating in traditional dressKeti Koti (Breaking the Chains) is the annual celebration and commemoration (since 2002) of the abolition of slavery in the former Dutch colonies on July 1st. It will be celebrated in the City of Amsterdam in the Oosterpark on July 1st 2010.

With performances of Surinamese, Antillean en Dutch music groups, the Keti Koti festival will again contribute to the broadening of the celebration and commemoration of the abolition of slavery. After the resounding success of last year it is expected that the festival will attract more then 20,000 people.

A Native Surinamese and Creole group playing Creole music on Keti Koti 2009 in Amsterdam

The Keti Koti Festival begins with a large-scale parade, the “Bigi Spikri” ("Big Mirror"), with orchestras and brass bands. The parade starts at 12:00 from the Stopera (City Hall) and will end in the Ooster Park, where the national commemoration takes place at the National Slavery Monument.

Honoured guests will be Dutch Minister Andre Rouvoet, the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, the ambassadors of Suriname, Ghana and South Africa and the mayor of Amsterdam.

ControversyThere is some controversy between the mayor black communities in the Netherlands about the commemoration date. For the Surinamese community the 1ste of July is also official commemoration day in Surinam, while for the Antillean community on the Dutch Antilles the official commemoration is held on August 17th. And also the name is different, on the Antilles it's called the " Tula commoration" and not "Keti Koti".